Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical stapling devices including replaceable loading units. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to replaceable loading units including a shipping member.
Background of Related Art
Surgical devices for applying staples, clips, or other fasteners to tissue are well known. Endoscopic surgical devices for applying surgical fasteners include an actuation unit, i.e., a handle assembly for actuating the device and a shaft for endoscopic access, and a tool assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft. Certain of these devices are designed for use with a replaceable loading unit which includes the tool assembly and houses the staples or fasteners. The replaceable loading unit may include staples of various sizes and the staples may be arranged in one or more configurations. After firing the stapler with a replaceable loading unit, the user may remove the empty loading unit, select and attach to the stapler another loading unit having staples of the same or different size and the same or different staple arrangement, and fire the stapler again. This process may be performed repeatedly during a surgical procedure.
Many loading units typically include a staple cartridge, a staple pusher assembly, and, optionally, a knife assembly. Loading units including a knife assembly have the benefit of providing a new knife with each loading unit. The staple pusher assembly and the knife assembly generally include one or more movable parts positioned to engage one or more drive members of the actuation unit. If the moving parts are not properly retained in a proper position prior to and during attachment of the loading unit to the actuation unit, the loading unit may not properly engage the actuation unit, and thus, may not function properly. Some loading units are provided with automatic locking systems which block movement of the components of the loading unit prior to attachment of the loading unit to the actuation unit and allow free movement of the movable parts of the loading unit once the loading unit has been properly positioned on the actuation unit. However, these automatic locking systems are not configured to retain staples within the staple cartridge prior to activation of the loading unit.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a shipping member configured to maintain the movable parts of the loading unit and to maintain the staples within the staple cartridge.